by Arthur Keng
Stageplay
CHARACTERS:
MOIRA A: Female – Age 30s to 40s – Any race – Damaged, but on her way back. Doing what she can to help herself, even yoga.
MOIRA B: Female – Age 30s to 40s – Moira A in the past. The truth can’t find her. She can’t find the truth. Possibly played by the same actress as Moira A.
JOHN: Male – Age 30s to 40s – Any race – Moira’s husband. He loves her, but there’s only so much pain one person can handle.
TOM/DR. BLANKENSHIP: Male – Age over 40 – Any race – A divorce lawyer and a therapist.
MOIRA A is doing yoga. She stands in Mountain Pose (standing straight, feet together, hands in a prayer position, eyes closed). Three deep, cleansing breaths. Slowly, she transitions into Tree Pose (arms in air, bottom of right or left foot on the inside of the opposite thigh, knee of lifted leg pointed outwards). Eyes still closed, exuding calm and centeredness. Three more deep breaths.
Beat.
MOIRA A
Motherfucker.
Beat.
MOIRA A
Fifteen seconds. I can never hold it for longer than fifteen seconds before I get dizzy and—
She wobbles and has to drop her lifted foot to regain her balance.
MOIRA A
Yup.
She goes into a Sun Salutation and transitions into and holds various poses throughout the following.
MOIRA A
I always get the image of being at the top of a building and then, whoop, down I go. I’d like to think that, were I actually at the top of a building, that I wouldn’t get all disoriented and take the tumble. Or that I’d have the sense to keep the hell away from the edge. But. I dunno. Not gonna test it.
Pose transition.
MOIRA A
I should, though. I should find myself at the top of more buildings. Should travel more. Whole big world out there and all that. All these things people say I should be doing. You’re free now! Take a vacation! Go kayaking! Fuck that barista!
(Beat)
Do yoga. Well, this I don’t mind. Mind and heart coming together. That stuff’s okay. Useful.
JOHN and MOIRA B at home. There’s a packed piece of luggage.
JOHN
That was delicious, Em. Just…fantastic. Thank you.
MOIRA B
Better than last year, eh?
JOHN
Edible. So, yes.
MOIRA B
I didn’t burn it that badly last time.
JOHN
Yeah, you did. Last year was arson, not cooking.
MOIRA B
Screw you.
JOHN
No, but, this was great. You did great. And I’m really glad it was…that it was just us. That we had this time to…
MOIRA B
Yeah. Well, glad I could add something nice to the world’s worst Valentine’s Day.
JOHN
Em, don’t.
MOIRA B
What?
Beat.
JOHN
So, you’re flying out Saturday?
MOIRA B
Flying out?
JOHN
To see your parents in Vancouver. You said you were going to—
MOIRA B
Oh yeah, no. We were, but Phillip got sick you know and—
JOHN
Em—
MOIRA B
I don’t want to travel with him all fevery, will probably make it worse—
JOHN
Em—
MOIRA B
I’ll plan something for when he recovers and—
JOHN
EM!
MOIRA B
What?
Beat.
JOHN
I can’t.
MOIRA B
I know. That’s why you’re leaving.
JOHN
That’s NOT why…goddammit.
Beat.
JOHN
Nope. Not gonna do this.
Beat.
MOIRA B
You still love me, John.
JOHN
Yeah.
JOHN takes out a wrapped gift.
JOHN
I was going to leave it for you to open after I…but I need you to open it now.
MOIRA B
Okay.
JOHN
Happy Valentine’s Day.
MOIRA B takes the present, unwraps a framed photo.
MOIRA B
New York.
JOHN
The selfie we took after you said, “Yes.”
MOIRA B
(Laughing)
So stupid.
JOHN
Yeah.
MOIRA B
We do look beautiful, though.
JOHN
Can we go back, Em? Back to this? It wasn’t so long ago.
Beat.
MOIRA B
That’d be great. But, John, it’s not just us anymore.
JOHN sinks. Defeated.
JOHN
I guess you’re right.
JOHN starts for his luggage.
JOHN
I don’t know what I’m going to do out there without you, Em. It’s going to kill me.
MOIRA B
Then why—
JOHN takes his luggage and heads for the door.
MOIRA B
Wait!
JOHN stops.
MOIRA B
You can’t leave without seeing Phillip! I’ll wake him up. You can’t leave without saying goodbye to your son, John!
MOIRA B runs offstage. JOHN, completely wrecked, takes off his wedding ring and sets it on the table.
JOHN
Goodbye.
JOHN leaves.
Pose transition.
MOIRA A
I’m centered. I’m present. I’m at one with the universe and all she has to offer.
(Beat)
I’m not good at lying to myself. But maybe it’s true and I just don’t realize it. That…it’s certainly possible.
Lawyer’s office. JOHN and MOIRA B across the table from TOM, the lawyer. This has been going on for a while. JOHN is exhausted, on the edge. Tom is equally tired but being patient.
MOIRA B
I don’t understand. He has to see you, John. You have to take him a few days a week. That’s how divorce works, right? Sharing custody. John, Phillip needs his father. It’s not like you can’t afford—
JOHN
STOP! Fine! Fine! Put it in, Tom! Put it in the agreement! I take Phillip Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday! Does that work for you, Em?!
MOIRA B
That…that would be fine, John. But I don’t know why you’re yelling.
JOHN
I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Good, I’m good with that. Put it in, Tom.
TOM
John, you know we can’t legally do that.
MOIRA B
What? Why not?
Silence.
TOM
Moira, maybe we can deal with something else first.
MOIRA B
We’ve spent all day dealing with other things. The house, the car, the bikes, the furniture, the TV, the TV stand. We’ve dealt with everything except what’s most important. Our son, John. We need to decide how we’re going to raise our son.
TOM
There must be…something else.
MOIRA B
Well, there is one thing.
TOM
Yes?
MOIRA B
I was thinking, we should probably keep some of Phillip’s things at your new place, John. Toys and things. So that when he’s with you, he won’t feel like he’s in a completely foreign—
JOHN grabs MOIRA B and looks her directly in the eye. Not violent, but desperate.
JOHN
Em. Moira. I need you to listen to me.
TOM
John, we’ve already—
JOHN
Are you listening to me?
MOIRA B
Yes.
JOHN
Phillip. Is. Gone. I was there next to you. You saw his body. The police, the hospital, you were there for everything.
No response.
JOHN
Em.
No response.
JOHN
EM! Say something, dammit! Say something! SaysomethingSaysomethingSaysomethingSaysomethingSAYSOMETHING!…
JOHN collapses in MOIRA B’s lap. MOIRA B lays a hand on JOHN’s head.
Silence.
MOIRA B
Just a few things, John. So he doesn’t get scared.
JOHN leaves the office.
TOM
Maybe…maybe we can try this again in a few weeks.
Pose transition into Downward Dog.
MOIRA A
Who named these poses, anyway? Do people ever really think of dogs as being downward? A dog doesn’t think, “I’m downward.” If anything, he just thinks, “I got my ass in the air.” Humans need so much more to hold onto, don’t we?
Therapist’s office. MOIRA B on the couch. DR. BLANKENSHIP seated next to or behind her.
BLANKENSHIP
And where was it you thought you saw Phillip this morning?
Silence.
BLANKENSHIP
Moira?
MOIRA B
I can’t talk to you.
BLANKENSHIP
Why not?
MOIRA B
Because you’re crazy.
BLANKENSHIP
Am I?
MOIRA B
They make me come see you, but you’re obviously the one who needs the help. At first I thought you just weren’t listening to me, that you were asking me questions from a list, like a tech support guy. But that’s not it. I say things and you actually hear different things. I saw my son in his bed this morning as I walked by his room.
BLANKENSHIP
And where do you think you saw him next?
MOIRA B
See! I didn’t say, “I think.” I said, “I SAW.” I SAW. Why do you keep changing it?
BLANKENSHIP
Why do you think I keep changing it?
MOIRA B
I told you. Because you’re crazy. Because you need help.
BLANKENSHIP
Well, since you’re being ordered to be here for the length of our sessions, maybe we can use this time to help me AND you.
MOIRA B
How?
BLANKENSHIP
What if you start saying things the way I think you’re saying them? Then we can try to work our way back to how you think—
MOIRA B
There! Again!
BLANKENSHIP
It might just help the both of us.
MOIRA B
I don’t need help.
Beat.
MOIRA B
I think I saw him in the hallway bathroom while I was brushing his teeth.
BLANKENSHIP
Okay. Now, do you remember hearing the water running?
Beat.
MOIRA B
…What?
Pose transition into Crane Pose.
MOIRA A
Crane Pose! How is it that I find it easier to balance on my hands than on my feet? Doesn’t seem right. That’s not how people work. Bi-PED-al, right? Like, feet. It’s not bi…bi…bi-MAN-al. MAN-i-al. Maybe being upright just isn’t for me. Maybe I’m better all twisted and upside-down.
A knock at the door.
MOIRA A
WHO DISTURBS MY SERENITY?
She opens the door. JOHN enters.
JOHN
Hi.
MOIRA A
Yeah, I’m fine.
JOHN
Okay. Are you? You’re fine?
MOIRA A
Doing yoga.
JOHN
Oh, yeah, good. You like it?
MOIRA A
Happy Valentine’s Day.
JOHN
You too. Yeah, that’s why. Um. I wanted to drop this off.
JOHN takes out a gift.
JOHN
It’s not anything, you know, crazy—sorry, not crazy, I didn’t mean—
MOIRA A
Okay.
JOHN
You can open it later.
JOHN sets the gift down.
JOHN
I heard you’re starting a new job. That’s fantastic.
MOIRA A
Sure.
Beat.
JOHN
And…Phillip?
MOIRA A
Phillip’s dead.
Beat.
JOHN
Oh God, Em, I don’t know what I was thinking asking…like…I’m such an idiot…like I was testing you or—
MOIRA A
It’s okay.
(Beat)
Dr. Blankenship is pretty good at his job.
Beat.
MOIRA A
I’m almost there, John.
JOHN
Em, I’m sorry.
MOIRA A
Is there someone new?
JOHN
No.
MOIRA A
Sit down. Please.
JOHN
Yeah.
JOHN sits. MOIRA A sits next to him. Silence.
JOHN
I still don’t know how to not be with you. This whole year has been… I’m a fucking mess. Em. Do you think we could…maybe…
MOIRA A
Please. Let’s not talk right now. Let’s just. Let’s just be here at the top of this building.
Arthur Keng is a Los Angeles-based playwright and actor whose written work has been extensively featured in PlayGround-LA’s Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series. Short plays presented through Monday Night PlayGround include Forced Position (selected for this year’s edition of Exposition Review), Antic Resolutions (selected for PlayGround-LA’s Best of Playground 2016), Dream Enforcement, Over the Falls, and more. As an actor, Arthur has performed at theaters across the country including TheatreWorks, Berkeley Rep, B Street Theatre, Merrimack Rep, among many others. Television appearances include roles on Silicon Valley, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Criminal Minds, and others. Arthur received his MFA in Acting from the University of Southern California. www.arthurkeng.com